Whatever you bring is part of your “costume” for the interview. This is true for your clothes, any binder or notepad you bring, and yes even a drink. It all gets measured (even if subconsciously) against the company culture and job requirements. For customer-facing roles, where an iced coffee would be inappropriate, it’s probably a bad idea to bring one.

One thing that other commenters (and the article) are missing is they are making the assumption that an interview is one-way. That you truly want the job, and you’re just doing whatever it takes to get there. And if you’re unemployed/desperate, that might be the case.

But if you’re interviewing them as well, it’s really important to locate the bullshit right away. If you won’t be a good fit, getting the job will be bad for everyone. This is especially true if you’re leaving a decent job elsewhere. If an iced coffee is a deal breaker, is that the culture you want to step into?

I’ve seen places that refuse to hire men with long hair, regardless of style. You can imagine what the rest of the culture is like. Going in with long (professional-looking) hair can bring out the problems faster and in a way that no other interview tactic would. Getting rejected here is dodging a bullet. Same with a coffee.

I would never bring food or drink to a job interview.

However, the debate has been distorted and a bit strawman’d. The original question was “would you bring an iced coffee to an interview for a Fortune 500 job?”

I’d agree that most interviewers probably wouldn’t care but also most interviews are not for Fortune 500 companies.

I interview candidates several times per year. I cannot imagine caring if they’re drinking a coffee during the interview. I often am drinking coffee or water. We need competent people who are good collaborators. Paying attention to irrelevant nonsense would be shooting ourselves in the foot. I have to work with and rely on these people afterwards to get stuff done. If I miss out on a good person because I needed a power trip, I’m the one who suffers.

How dare the plebs drink.

Of course a drink of choice should be allowed. They are employing someone for their skill set. What they drink and when they drink it is irreverent (as long as its not alcohol or blood). Its just another control tactic, and tells you everything about the company.

This should not be a conversation for any org that appreciates understanding their talent, and the value of trust & motivation.

How many higher ups are hired at a fancy drink and a whisky or two. I bet the logic is not applied the same across all employees.

As someone in a position to hire, I don’t give a shit if you bring something to drink as long as it isn’t booze. Show me you know your stuff and that’s what really matters.

Bringing coffee in is a power move if you’re employed already. It says “my time is just as valuable as yours and I intend to make the most of it regardless of what you think.” As someone who just interviews to keep his skills sharp at this point, it’s not the worst thing you can do so long as you don’t make a big deal out of it.

I’d be more offended if they require you to prepare a slide deck of some useless example you probably made up anyway. That’s working for free and I won’t do it.

I was holding a (hot) coffee in the interview for my current job tbf lol

Culture fit is part of the process for sure

I’ve taken more than enough psychic damage from the arguments over this but I’m really glad this place has a smaller ratio of people blindly defending the arbitrary and superficial unspoken criteria of corporations when it comes to deciding who does/doesn’t deserve to live.

It’s bad enough living in a world where someone’s dumb-ass incorrect perception of you can drastically make your life worse, but I especially don’t want to live in a world where the working class not only accepts that but deliberately reinforces it. - Vire (vi/vim)

I think it depends on the situation. My interviews typically lasted all day. Lunch was included and I believe at least once I was actually offered coffee. Personally I wouldn’t bring mine. I don’t consider it a burden to go without for one interview. Plus I usually had some kind of notebook with me with examples of my work and a copy of the interview schedule that was provided to me as well as other documentation. It all becomes a bit too much to carry if you add coffee. But if it’s a more casual atmosphere, no biggie. I mean, I wouldn’t likely show up in a suit for a job at the Mc Donald’s drive-thru.

On the other hand how does the coffee drinker act. Is this person placing a sweaty drink container on the interviewer’s desk? Slurping loudly during an interview question?

So I think it’s situation dependent.

Why blow it up at all? If it doesn’t fit in with the company culture, just don’t hire them. Making it a big deal, like yelling at the candidate simply reeks of corporate entitlement. Plus, are you really telling me yould reject the golden candidate if he or she is exhibiting some subjectively questionable personal judgement? Like turning away Gabe Newell because he didn’t shave before the interview, or Steve Jobs because he didn’t turn up in a tie? Really?

If you want to do the candidate a favor, maybe tell them on the way out, and if their behaviour is so repulsive, they’ll eventually get the idea and adjust, or find a company to which they are a better fit.

You can’t bring coffee or drinks of any kind into a cleanroom environment so bringing one during the interview says to me nothing because if you get the job you’re still not bringing coffee into the cleanroom. You can drink it outside and you can vape and smoke and get a tattoo in between your ball sack or buttcheeks but none of that will ever be done in a cleanroom environment. “One” other thing you are not allowed to do in a cleanroom is wear hair spray or aromatic aerosols or perfumes or makeup or clothing that sheds, or play loud music or wear your headphones or wear baggy clothes or not shower or bring your shoes or spit, pee or poo. But you can do all those one things outside. There are rules for every job and the rules may prohibit you from doing things you would otherwise do. Like doctors don’t drink coffee during a surgery right over the open cavity. I’m not sure if a doctor may be allowed coffee on a table nearby. I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know. A car mechanic could probably be allowed to drink coffee or other drinks while working on a car. A stunt pilot cannot be driving coffee during flight. A racecar driver also cannot drink coffee from a coffee cup while driving during a race. They might be able to drink from a helmet straw. So in sort I don’t care what you drink during an interview.

Bring it in an insulated travel cup and as long as it doesn’t have offensive stickers you’d negate most of the negatives the article presented.

My last job had nitro cold brew on tap and we offered it to the candidates because we want them to want the job. That’s what it really comes down to: is the employer competing for candidates or is the candidate competing for jobs. Where does the power lie. That’s all that matters.

Interviewers corporations just found another way to be cunts about something. Congrats on your record.

For the companies that mind you bringing an iced coffee, you should be glad if they reject you. If that is part of their criteria, they probably aren’t someone you would want to work for. I didn’t like the people who were obviously putting on an act to try to be what they thought I wanted them to be during the hiring process. Culture fit is important. Two people with the same skills will not be equal candidates if one is contrary to the rest of the employment group. Also someone who will not fit in will not be able to fully use their skills due to social conflicts. Soft skills matter more in some positions/companies than others.